Has Harry done the right deals to secure Champions League football?

Tottenham’s January activity

Players in:

• Younes Kaboul (Portsmouth, undisclosed)

• Eidur Gudjohnsen (AS Monaco, 6-month loan)

• Kyle Walker (recalled from loan to Sheffield United)

Players out:

• Alan Hutton (Sunderland, 6 month loan)

• Robbie Keane ( Celtic, 6 month loan)

• Kyle Naughton (Middlesbrough, 6 moths loan)

• Giovanni Dos Santos (Galatasaray, 6 month loan)

Robbie Keane’s loan move to Celtic caught the football world off guard yesterday, even Sky Sports assuming that Sunderland’s failure to move for the player meant that he would remain at White Hart Lane. However, now Robbie Keane, Alan Hutton, Kyle Naughton and Giovanni Dos Santos have all left the club on loan deals, are Tottenham significantly weakened this transfer window? Or will the signings of Younes Kaboul and Eidur Gudjohnsen strengthen Tottenham’s push for Champions League football?

In the striking department, Giovanni Dos Santos will not be particularly missed. He has undoubted ability, but has obviously not shown enough application in training, as his first team opportunities have been severely limited under Harry Redknapp. Dos Santos has also been plagued with a succession of injuries, and he needs to kick start his career in Istanbul. Robbie Keane has played a significant part in Tottenham’s season thus far, and although he received a certain amount of criticism, he started every game in Tottenham’s excellent start to the season, in which Spurs racked up four straight wins. Most Tottenham fans will not miss Keane however, with the common belief being that he returned from Anfield last January a different player to the one that left. He seems to be lacking the sharpness that defined the 7 seasons he had spent at the club before his ill-fated move to Liverpool. Keane’s replacement is almost like for like, with Gudjohnsen willing to withdraw into the hole between midfield and forwards that Keane liked to occupy in his later years. Gudjohnsen is a talented player, and Tottenham fans must hope the Icelandic international can rediscover the form that he showed for Barcelona, where he averaged around 38 appearances in the 3 seasons he spent at the Catalan club. Keane’s departure may also allow a certain Russian marksman to show what he can do. Ultimately, Tottenham may be slightly stronger up-top following the transfer window. However, Gudjohnsen’s fitness is already a cause for concern, with reports emerging that he may be a month away from full fitness… he’s only at the club for 6-months!

Another concern for Tottenham regarding the signing of Gudjohnsen is that like Luka Modric, Niko Kranjcar, David Bentley and Tom Huddlestone, Gudjohnsen has bags of ability, but no pace. Without Aaron Lennon on the right, Tottenham lack penetration, and cannot hit teams on the break which, as Manchester United demonstrated at the Emirates last Sunday, can be devastatingly effective in the Premier League. Tottenham do not have pace to burn without Lennon, and so must hope Gudjohnsen’s can help Spurs pass it through the Premier League’s more stubborn defences.

Defensively, Gareth Bale could not have done more to cement his place in the starting line up. He has been involved in most of Tottenham’s good attacking play since he replaced the injured Benoit Assou-Ekotto, and provided much needed pace in Aaron Lennon’s absence on the left hand side. At right-back, Tottenham fans feared they were putting all their eggs in one basket, after Alan Hutton and Kyle Naughton left the club on loan deals leaving Vedran Corluka as the only recognised right-back. Redknapp has acted quickly to dispel this issue however, bringing Kyle Walker back from his loan with Sheffield United early. Kaboul could also provide cover in the full-back department if necessary. Certainly Kaboul’s signing will be a good addition to the squad, with King and Woodgate’s injury situations being as they are. If Dawson or Bassong had gotten injured, Spurs would have been struggling prior to Kaboul’s arrival.

Arguably Tottenham have come out of the window slightly stronger, although how effective Gudjohnsen will be for Spurs may hinge on the player’s fitness. Kaboul will provide good cover in defence, and may prove to be an excellent acquisition. In a sense, Tottenham merely loaned the Player out to another Prmier League outfit to gain experience, with Kaboul returning a better player. Nevertheless, despite Kaboul and Gudjohnsen’s arrival, Tottenham’s chances of finishing in a Champions League position could depend on another player returning to the Tottenham side. A player that never actually left. Tottenham simply do not look the same side without Aaron Lennon on the wing. His work rate and penetration on the right hand side of midfield gave Tottenham a balance they are now sorely missing, and Tottenham’s January transfer activity may count for little in the clubs quest for a top four finish, if the little England winger cannot recover from his groin problem soon.